Just Dropping In
by queenofice87
Summary: Nine years ago, a child was abandoned at the door steps of Tony Stark with nothing left behind but a brief case and an envelope. At first Tony doesn't want anything to do with him even as he continues to grow, and even afterwards continues to be selfish, but things start to change later on.
1. You Know What They Say

"Harold, can you take out the trash?"

"Sure," Harold replied.

A few seconds later the sounds of footsteps could be heard, followed by the clicking of work boots against the metal steps.

He swung the heavy bag of trash over his shoulder, walking over to the elevator, pushing the numbers to the floor that he needed to be on.

He was the labor boy, the messenger boy, the delivery boy.

He didn't mind as much, Tony always gave him a good raise, and was actually the only one in the whole building that paid attention to him where as others ignored him or laughed at his klutzy ways. But Tony was always there. He always put a stop to it with 'my house, my rules'. After a while, the teasing and snickering everywhere Harold went had stopped.

He carried out his task; once the sliding doors in the front of the first floor opened, he went into the back end of the parking lot, dumping the trash out into the dumpsters. He would've continued on his merry way until he heard the crying of an infant. The sounds were coming from a cardboard box. He opened the lid of the box, wondering why there was a baby there in the first place. He knew it was wrong of him to think so, but maybe it was one of Tony's mishaps?

Somebody got tired of the baby and decided to dump it in the trash? Who would throw away an innocent baby that had nothing to do with it? It wasn't right, and Harold, although he knew that Tony would have a loud mouth about it and Pepper would probably flip at the idea of trying to look after a child in their home, he couldn't leave the baby behind.

It was filthy, and smelled as if he hadn't had a new bath in days. His blanket wrapped firmly around him was battered and old.

His thoughts of "one-nightstands-what ifs" were short lived when he finally noticed the week old note that was sitting beside the infant:

To whom it may concern,

We cannot look after our child anymore. It is too dangerous for him to stay with us, please keep him safe.

Signed,

Rick Parker.

Harold frowned, folding up the note into his chest pocket. He took another look making sure he wasn't missing anything important, and noticed the brief case that was sitting by the baby's side underneath the cardboard box. He picked up the baby, the brief case, and went directly to the elevator that went up to the living space of the building. The doors slid open.

"_Welcome back, Harold. Mr. Stark is waiting for your return."_

"Thanks," Harold said, flashing a small smile as the elevator stopped at the floor he needed to be on. The doors opened revealing Pepper pouring a glass of wine for herself and Tony. When she saw the baby she dropped the glass immediately from shock over load.

"Poor thing," Pepper cooed, "Who would do this to you?! It's a miracle that you haven't died!"

"I think this should say enough for itself," Harold handed over the envelope.

Pepper read it, her eyes narrowed in disgust. "If they didn't want a baby they shouldn't have had one in the first place!"

"Gimmie that!" Tony snatched the envelope.

"What do we say?" She scolded.

"Please?" He flashed her his trade mark grin. "To whom it may concern," Tony read, "We cannot look after our child anymore. It is too dangerous for him to stay with us, please keep him safe.

Signed,

Rick Parker. "

"It sounds like they're in trouble of some kind," Pepper mused thoughtfully. "I'd feel guilty if we didn't do anything."

Tony stared at her as if she had an extra head on her shoulders. He had things to do, and a kid in the way is just going to make things harder to keep everything done in the tight amount of the time that he had. He also somewhat feared the parental role. But, there was _no way _he was going to let anyone else besides _him_ know that. "hell no!"

Pepper glared a look that would burn someone's iris's out of their sockets, "How could you be so selfish?"

Tony tried to ignore Pepper and the burning feeling of guilt in his chest. Maybe instead of CEO of Stark Industries, her new job title should be 'making things harder to do than necessary for others around her'.

"Easy," Tony said as if it were the most stupidest question in the world, "Be an ass!"

"Don't be an ass," Pepper shouted. "Now's not the time for it!"

"It looks like I just did be an ass." Tony smirked at her. "The answer is no."

"We need to-"

"No, Pepper!"

"Would you at least take the moment to think about it!"

"No!"

Harold cleared his throat in an attempt to get their attention. The baby started to wake up. His bright blue eyes fluttered open, looking around. He noticed Tony, his little hand reaching out to him. Harold tossed the brief case that he found along with the note towards Pepper, who caught it with ease as if it were a football or basketball.

"Nice catch," Harold teased.

Tony pointed accusingly at the child as he continued reaching out towards him. "Stop that, bad baby!"

"Oh c'mon," Pepper gave the brief case to Tony, grabbing the child from Harold, tickling his chin and earning happy squeals from him. "He's adorable!"

"All babies are _**adorable **_to women. " Tony groaned, "Just wait until he gets older, then he won't be so cute anymore."

Pepper gave him the look that he hated. Pouts were his number one enemy. He hated them even more when they were cute pouts or the pathetic 'I'm a kicked puppy-dog' pout. Pepper somehow managed to combine the two pleading looks.

"Fine." Tony sighed, his shoulders slouching in defeat, "But you're doing the diapers! I'm not going anywhere near that crap!"

"Deal," Pepper replied, beaming a delighted, small smile at him. She walked past him to prepare the things she needed for the little one. Once again Harold was put up to task of buying whatever it was that they needed for them; everything from diapers to bottles of milk, clothing and medical care.

While they ran around doing all the work that needed to be done, Tony sulked in the corner with a bottle of liquor.

"I would not be surprised if the baby's favorite word ends up becoming 'no', " Harold smirked at Tony, earning himself a smack in the face with the nearest love seat pillow.

* * *

Later on that evening, Tony and Pepper did research on names. Tony was being very picky, causing Pepper to grab at her hair. His cocky excuse was "hey, you wanted him, not me" as they continued to search for suitable names.

At first he was going to be called Damion, but Pepper said it made him sound like he was demonic. Before another argument could start, Tony rolled his eyes and continued with Jarvis along his search of proper names for the child.

"_Sir, I'd hate to interrupt," _Came the echoing voice of Jarvis, "_but what about the name Peter?"_

Tony scratched at his chin, giving off a shrug. He honestly didn't care much about the name, all he cared about was as long as it sounded right with 'Stark'.

Parker would be his middle name.

Peter Parker Stark.

* * *

A day turned into a week, a week turned into a month, and finally a month turned into a year. Peter grew since then, the child was happy and healthy ever since Harry found him and brought him in. Peter was very active, and he wouldn't sit still no matter what Tony or Pepper tried to do with him.

Time outs didn't work for him when he was in trouble, he always found new creative ways to escape from his baby sitters. It didn't help that Tony encouraged him to do it from the side lines, and it drove Pepper nuts.

There was a loud crash that bounced off the walls from the corridors. Tony groaned, he knew what those were. Or, in this case, _used_ to be. The child wasn't even a year old yet, and he was already giving him a run for his money.

"Jarvis," Tony sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"_Yes, sir."_

"Order a couple of new decorative vases and statues off the site I normally get them from, would ya,"

"_Yes, of course, right away, sir. Perhaps you should keep them in an unbreakable casing of some sort."_

"That's what I'm going to have to do," He groaned. He wasn't sure how much more of this stress he could take. His patience with the child was starting to grow thin. This was the hundredth thousandth time he had to replace something because of a child. Before all this chaos he didn't have not one single problem to worry about when it came to his precious items.

"_You have a visitor, sir."_

Tony sat upright in his bed, noticing little Peter by the door way. His head fell back onto the pillow behind him with a heavy plop, arm resting over his forehead. _I'm too old for this! _He thought miserably.

Peter crawled up onto his bedside, crawling over his chest and accidentally stepping onto the arc reactor. It gave a spark, making Tony panic briefly even though Jarvis was able to keep it from going out. He snatched the child up by his arm holding him by the elbow. "Listen you! Stop breaking things!"

"_You might want to watch your actions around Peter, sir." _

Tony turned his attention back to Peter, but stopped his tirade when he saw how frightened he looked. He stared at the child for a moment, as if studying him. He continued to hold onto the boy by his under arms, his grip was harsh, causing the child to cry in fear at the pain.

He loosened his grip, his expression softened when he realized he was acting just like the way his father acted towards him. He pulled the toddler close, cradling him against the chest, hoping it would calm him down. He realized right then and there that he could do a lot better than his father did.

He _would_ do better, and, he always _loved_ a good competition. He'd show the world what an amazing person he could really be if he put effort into it. He'd give Peter everything he ever wanted, anything he ever needed, with the word "no" to this or that scratched from their vocabulary.

His child would probably grow up to be spoiled rotten to death, but that was better than being hated on like how he feels with his own father. People throughout the world knew Tony as the "genius, billionaire, play boy philanthropist" and the "world's largest asshole ".

As selfish as this probably sounded, he'd be able to turn his image around with Peter's help.


	2. The Rest Is History

Nine years ago , young Peter Parker Stark had been found abandoned in a cardboard box, with nothing left about his history but a dirty old rag, envelope, and a briefcase.

When Peter started calling Pepper and Tony "mama" and "papa" they decided that the best thing to do would be to get hitched. When Peter came into their lives they knew that they were meant to be.

On Pepper's case, it was because she wasn't sure when Iron Man would return from his missions, and feared that she'd lose him, but he reassured her several times that no matter what the danger, he'd always find his way home to her even with scrapes, bruises, and broken bones or fractured ribs.

After they got hitched, Peter immediately enrolled into one of the best schools they could find. He was learning how to read at home every night with Pepper at his bedside. During the day, he learnt about puzzles and strategy with Tony.

Unsurprisingly to his dad, he was learning at a faster rate than the other children in his own class. Peter was then taken out of kindergarten and leveled up to 1st grade at five years old.

And to think that he wanted Peter only for his personal gain…

Peter had really grown on Tony, both physically and literally.

* * *

Peter is now a freshman in high school with inspiring dreams of becoming a photographer (or a science lab assistant). He always wore his camera around his neck, with his glasses lopsided due to Flash Tompson constantly punching him in the face.

Peter often covered it up with his mom's make up on his skin (which made him laugh a little at his father for it. For a self-proclaimed genius it was ironic that he couldn't tell the difference between fresh skin and old skin hidden underneath foundation make up that barely covered it).

"Make sure you have your lunch," Pepper cooed, smooching Peter on the cheeks. She walked him outside the home they were living in. They moved from Stark Industries to the mansion on the beach), and hugged him so tight that Peter almost choked from it.

"Mom…" Peter rolled his eyes. "I got it. Geez!"

"Hey, Pep," Tony approached near the door way, prying Peter out of her arms (unnoticed by them, Peter sighed a breath of relief). "Don't do that. The boy's spoiled rotten enough as it is!"

"And whose fault is that, hmm?" Pepper teased, grinning a wide smile that went from ear to ear.

Tony wiggled his eyebrows, "Definitely not mine. Scram kiddo," He stated turning to his son, " your bus is here!" He gave Peter a gentle slap on the shoulders. Peter nodded, flashing a grin and adjusting his glasses, climbing up the steps to the bus as the doors slid open.

"By Peter!" His mother called, waving enthusiastically.

His father gave his mom a peck on the check, jumping into the shiny red car. While Jarvis activated it and pulled out the drive way behind the school bus, Peter watched from the windows.

Peter breathed slowly, in and out, anxious about what this new day would bring. Seeing as how he was the social outcast and constantly 'the-kid-of-the-day-to-pick-on', he hoped nothing _too_ bad.

Unfortunately, he spoke too soon. Something slimy and matted down struck him behind his ear, followed by three more of the same substance in the back of his head. Reaching up to his ear to grab the offending object, he found that it was a spit wad. He knew who was aiming those at him and didn't bother to turn around.

"Hey Stark," Flash boasted. "Did your mommy make sure you had everything? If you left your baby bottle, you better call your mom so she can bring it to class!"

Peter remembered the words that his father told him when he asked about what to do about the teasing. _People make fun of others because they are jealous of them, and jealousy causes people to hate other people for no reason other than what they are jealous of. Don't let it get to you, kiddo, and whatever you do, don't stoop low. If you act like they act, that'd make you just as awful as they are. Remember that, son. _

The next he remembered was a quote from Dr. Suess that his mother used to read for him as a little kid: _The people who matter don't mind, and the people who mind don't matter._

The bus finally stopped at the school. He stepped out with his head hailed high, a straight expression on his face to show his confidence. He said a silent prayer, hoping that Flash would find someone else to pick on today, though the changes were high nigh for that.

* * *

"Today we are going to discuss cloning," Spoke the chemistry lab teacher as she wrote down formulas on the black board. "Two questions: Is it possible, and how can it be done? Anyone?"

Peter wasn't paying attention. He doodled a spider on his notebook when a piece of paper slid to his desk by the girl sitting beside him. He opened it, having a hard time trying to hide his smile:

_Want to hang out after school? Maybe you, me and Harry can stop at the pizza place we love to go to and then hightail it to the library for our book report. Harry wanted to stop at his father's business on the way home as well! _

_Gwen Stacy._

With an even wider smile, Peter took out a pen to try to reply, but got interrupted by his teacher. He groaned with his head in his hands.

"You can't do anything by right, Peter!" Flash shouted loudly, causing everyone in the room to laugh at Peter except for Gwen, who turned her head at him and gave him a harsh glare.

"MR. TOMPSON!" The science teacher bellowed, "Go to the office immediately!"

Flash snorted, rolling his eyes as he stood up from the desk. Walking by Peter, he flicked him in the back of the head. The teacher didn't notice, but Peter noted him flipping both himself and the teacher off once he was in the hallway, out of eyesight. Gwen had been dating Flash at the time, but now that he knew what his true colors were, she planned on leaving him.

She broke up with him later on after school, not saying anything about why.

Flash stood alone in the parking lot, dumbfounded and confused.


	3. Curiosity kills the spider

"I am so hungry!" Harry exclaimed, eyeing the pizza menu like he hadn't eaten in days.

"So what else is new," Gwen followed suit, laughing at him. He winced slightly after Gwen smacked him upside the head with her own menu. "You're always hungry!"

Peter also laughed as Harry ushered an annoying whine of an 'ow!' at the other end of the table, shaking his head as Harry tried to feign pain. "That really hurt,"

"Are you sure that wasn't your pride she just hurt?" Peter said, watching Harry gaurf down extra bread (that keeps disappearing from the table in a manner of minutes!).

"Shut up, Stark." Harry said, tossing a bread roll at him; Peter caught it swiftly, biting down into it while their waiter came to the table, asking each of them what they would like.

"Pepperoni,"

"Meat lovers"

"Everything with everything on it." Harry said just to get a reaction. He received said reaction. "What?! I'm just kidding, don't look at me like that!"

"So-" The waiter finished the rest, ignoring the 'everything with everything on it' comment. He chuckled a little at his antics, "You're the one whose always eating all the pizzas here? I was wondering where they all went by the time I went to the back to get them!"

Everyone at the table laughed. These were the times Peter loved; after a shitty day at school, he'd either go straight home to tinker with equipment with his dad in the workshop, get spoiled to death by his mother at home and a counseling session with his uncle Bruce, or hang out at the pizza parlor or library with his friends. Being picked on wasn't fun, but it also had it's perks at the end of the day.

* * *

They paid for their ticket and left.

Peter and Gwen tried to give their share of the bill, but Harry wouldn't let them, mentioning that it was all on him tonight, to let him handle it. Peter smiled at his generosity; he was something else. He was out of this world with kindness.

They went up the stairs to the lobby, Harry explaining to the guards up front that they were his friends (random visitors apparently weren't allowed unless they were personal clients of the boss). Harry couldn't believe that he literally had to fight with them to let them come in.

Thankfully his dad walked by, with a "Harry, good of you to come! Brought your friends with you?"

When his dad noted that the guards were holding Peter by the shoulders and Gwen by the shoulders and pony tail, he lifted a hand. "No need for this, gentlemen. They are friends of Harry's. Let them go,"

"That's what I've been trying to tell these idiots for hours!" Harry growled, shoving himself off the near by guard. They got on his nerves; he hated their guts and Peter could already feel the tension thickening in the air, the blood boiling within Harry was raging, and Peter sensed it.

It bothered him enough to cause Peter to side step away from Harry, making it seem like he was just following his dad so that his friend wouldn't question why he moved away from him.

"How was school, Harry?" His father said, starting a general conversation with him.

"Other than the fact that our own body guards just tried to arrest us?" Harry rolled his eyes. "peachy."

"Don't get like that , Harry," His father said, turning to his friends. "It's not all bad. Who might you two be?"

Peter stepped forward, shaking his father's hand. "I'm Peter, and this is our friend, Gwen Stacy."

"Hello, Sir." Said Gwen, smiling slightly.

"Oh I know you!" He said, ruffling his hair with an awkward laugh. "I'm sorry, my old age, I'm starting to forget things a lot now! It's getting harder and harder for me to pay attention these days, I'm sure Harry can tell you all about that! It's nice to finally get to meet the daughter of George Stacy! He's in the papers all the time!"

Gwen blushed red, hiding behind Peter, while Harry chuckled a little. "I hate to interrupt, but," Sense his dad was easily distracted or forgetful, he decided to derail the topic to save Gwen the unnecessary embarrassment. They were here for something else anyway, "I came here to show my friends around, can we get started?"

"Sure," Said Dr. Osborn, pulling his clipboard out. "Follow me."

They explored the whole building, from top to bottom, every last floor that Harry and his dad could think of except certain rooms that were employee's only. While being shown around, something caught Peter's eye in one of the opened 'employee's only' rooms. He made sure that they weren't paying attention before Peter slid away to check out what the shining blue light was. It was a bright sparkling neon blue light, something that he hasn't seen before. (He's seen the color blue, anyone whose anyone has, just not like the shining neons floating around in the room).

His jaw dropped at the mountain of blue colored spiders hanging down from the ceiling. It looked like a brilliant Christmas tree as it turned around constantly, the sound of electricity and equipment chirping in the environment around him. He was so mesmerized by the light show that he didn't noticed the spider that fell onto his neckline and hid away into his t-shirt.

He didn't want to get in trouble, so he pulled out of the room quickly before anyone could even know that he was in there, and closed the door shut. He took off to find Gwen, Dr. Osborne and Harry, who had been looking for him when they found that he was missing.

"Sorry, I had to go use the restroom," Peter said, amazed at how well he could lie. Then again, he was the son of Tony Stark. Like father, like son, right?

"No problem, Peter," Said Dr. Osborne, giving Peter a pat on the shoulder. "But next time, let us know where you are going. You scared us."

"Sorr-OW!" Peter jumped at the bite in his neck as the spider fell through the clothing and onto the floor. It scurried away onto the wall behind him, disappearing through the hole in the wall. "What the.."

"Indeed," Harry tilted an eyebrow, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Peter said, holding onto his neck, "I think I just got zapped."

"It happens," Said Dr. Osborne. "Sometimes static is attracted to your skin , and you get a harsh zap. Nothing to worry about. Are you three going to be showing up again anytime soon? I would like to know ahead of time to let the body guards up front know about it."

"Yes, definitely!" Gwen said. "This place is amazing, isn't it Peter?"

"Yeah," Peter said. "You sure are lucky, Harry."

"Why am I the only lucky one here?" Harry asked, smirking. He playfully smacked Peter in the shoulders, "You are just as lucky, Stark."

"Thanks..?" Peter wasn't sure what to say to that, usually it's _you're a spoiled brat just like your dad_, or, y_ou're probably just as rotten as he is!_. He was a bit taken aback by the compliment. With a gentle squeeze and a few more shoulder pats, Harry finally pulled away from him, his only answer the knowing smirk that he wore often when nothing else needed to be said.

Peter smiled in return. "Thanks Harry, you're a good friend."

"Shouldn't you be heading home? Gwen doesn't live far from here, so after I drop her off, I can walk you?"

"Don't worry yourself," Said Peter, already on his way out the front door and down the streets of New York.

"I'll be fine!" He waved, his back turned towards them.

* * *

Peter skated his way home, avoiding traffic by going through the alleyways. He didn't notice his Uncle Bruce and accidentally slammed into him, the force of the blow knocking him over. His uncle was able to hold his own ground. He turned a tint of green at the edge of his cheek bones, but the skin returned to normal colors when he saw who it was.

"Are you alright?" Bruce asked, lending his hand out to help him up.

Peter took it gratefully, and stood up, slightly dizzy from the fall. "Yeah, I'm alright….I think.."

"Good, you need to be more careful." Bruce said with a light chuckle. He stopped when he realized that Peter was swaying about, "Hey…Peter?"

No response.

"Peter..…?"

Still nothing. Peter was having a hard time seeing straight; he saw three to five Uncle Bruce's instead of one. He was having hard time hearing as well, he heard echoes from all around him and hushed, rushing voices of the people walking by them.

"Peter?!"

Now he sounded very alarmed.

The last thing he remembered seeing before blacking out was car lights, sirens, shouts, and very frantic, high pitched worried voices.


End file.
